Section2
The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981

Definitions

In force From 16 May 1981 Act 14 of 1981 As on 15 Oct 2026

Act 14 of 1981 Ministry Environment, Forest and Climate Change Enacted 29 Mar 1981 In force 16 May 1981 Instruments 9

Section 2 of the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 deals with definitions. In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,-- (a) "air pollutant" means any solid, liquid or gaseous substance [(including noise)] present in the atmosphere in such concentration as may be or tend to be injurious to human beings or other living creatures or plants or property or environment; The Act came into force on 16 May 1981.

In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,--

(a) "air pollutant" means any solid, liquid or gaseous substance 1[(including noise)] present in the atmosphere in such concentration as may be or tend to be injurious to human beings or other living creatures or plants or property or environment;

(b) "air pollution" means the presence in the atmosphere of any air pollutant;

(c) "approved appliance" means any equipment or gadget used for the bringing of any combustible material or for generating or consuming any fume, gas of particulate matter and approved by the State Board for the purposes of this Act;

(d) "approved fuel" means any fuel approved by the State Board for the purposes of this Act;

(e) "automobile" means any vehicle powered either by internal combustion engine or by any method of generating power to drive such vehicle by burning fuel;

(f) "Board" means the Central Board or a State Board;

(g) "Central Board" means the 2[Central Pollution Control Board] constituted under section 3 of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 (6 of 1974);

(h) "chimney" includes any structure with an opening or outlet from or through which any air pollutant may be emitted;

(i) "control equipment" means any apparatus, device, equipment or system to control the quality and manner of emission of any air pollutant and includes any device used for securing the efficient operation of any industrial plant;

(j) "emission" means any solid or liquid or gaseous substance coming out of any chimney, duct or flue or any other outlet;

(k) "industrial plant" means any plant used for any industrial or trade purposes and emitting any air pollutant into the atmosphere;

(l) "member" means a member of the Central Board or a State Board, as the case may be, and includes the Chairman thereof;

3[(m) "occupier", in relation to any factory or premises, means the person who has control over the affairs of the factory or the premises, and includes, in relation to any substance, the person in possession of the substance;]

(n) "prescribed" means prescribed by rules made under this Act by the Central Government or, as the case may be, the State Government;

(o) "State Board" means,--

(i) in relation to a State in which the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 (6 of 1974), is in force and the State Government has constituted for that State a 4 [State Pollution Control Board] under section 4 of that Act, the said State Board; and

(ii) in relation to any other State, the State Board for the Prevention and Control of Air Pollution constituted by the State Government under section 5 of this Act.

Section 2, The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 (Act 14 of 1981).

Cross-references

Extracted from the operative text of the enactments themselves. Every destination below exists in our corpus.

This section refers to

  1. s. 5 Constitution of State Boards

Made under this section, and citing it

2 instruments state that it was made under this provision — the power to make it comes from here, so a change to any of them changes what this section requires in practice. Newest first.

Another 7 instruments name this provision in its title or its text without being made under it.

All subordinate legislation

Questions about Section 2

What does Section 2 of the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act deal with?

Section 2 of the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act is headed "Definitions". In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,-- (a) "air pollutant" means any solid, liquid or gaseous substance [(including noise)] present in the atmosphere in such concentration as may be or tend to be injurious to human beings or other living creatures or plants or property or environment;

How do I find court cases under Section 2 of the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act?

In judgments and charge sheets this section is written several ways, and each form finds a different set of orders. These search the full text of every order eCourtsIndia holds, best matches first: Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act 2, section 2 Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, section 2 of the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act. Each opens the full list of orders on eCourtsIndia, where it can be narrowed by court, year and outcome.

What should I read with Section 2 of the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, and has it changed?

Its own text turns on section 5 (Constitution of State Boards), so none of them can safely be read on its own. The rules and notifications made under it are where it actually bites, and there are 2: most recently Appointment of Sh. Narender Hooda, Scientist B as Board Analyst for the purpose of analysis of samples of Air Pollution/Emission (2022), then G.S.R.382(E), [28/3/1988] - The Date on which the Air Amendment Act of 1987 came into force (1988).

When did Section 2 of the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act come into force?

Section 2 of the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, cited as Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act 2, came into force on 16 May 1981, having been enacted on 29 Mar 1981. It is in force as at the date shown on this page.

Other sections of this Act

Source and method. Compiled from the enactments of Parliament and of the State legislatures as published on India Code, and republished together with commentary and other original matter under section 52(1)(q)(ii) of the Copyright Act, 1957. Structured, cross-referenced and maintained by eCourtsIndia. Text as in force on 15 Oct 2026. This page is not a substitute for legal advice.